Saturday, March 14, 2009

THE FLACKS REPORT [24 Feb 09]

Bob Healy, the political maven of the judicial ins-and-outs of the "outer boroughs," is doing well, and is temporarily in rehab. at Bird S. Coler Hospital on Roosevelt Island. He has no bed-side telephone, but please do drop him a line c/o the hospital:

[Oh, if you go, how do you get there? Easy: IND "F" train to Roosevelt Isl. (15 min. walk) or the Tramway (10 min. walk).]

* * * * * * * * *

Alan Zimmerman

Alan Zimmerman, N.D.C. stalwart over these many years, dead at the age of 59. [Below is a copy of an E-mail previously sent to you.]"Alan Zimmerman, political campaign manager and one of the masters of the art of petitioning, died 16th February, 2009, of cancer at the age of 59. "Besides his involvement over many years in N.Y.C. Reform Democratic politics, Alan was an environmentalist and had a passion for science fiction. He once owned and ran a sci-fi bookshop on Chambers Street. Zimmerman had an extraordinary record in campaigning in that no candidate whose petitions he was responsible for was ever thrown off the ballot. 'He was one of the most decent people I ever met in my 40 years of New York politics' said Alan Handell. "Zimmerman resided in Plainfield, N.J., with his wife Jane Schwartz. He is also survived by his mother Barbara of Tenafly, N.J., and other relatives." Jerry Goldfeder adds "I met Alan Zimmerman when I became active in the New Democratic Coalition 25 years ago. He was passionate and principled, and I could always count on him to work hard and enlighten us. When I was Chair of N.D.C. in the mid-1980s, he made certain that we all stuck to the rules and advocated the principled position. Alan was a genuinely good person, and he definitely will be missed." Two hundred people attended the funeral on Wednesday, 18th February, 2009. A memorial service in Manhattan is planned for later this year.* * * * * * * * * * * * *Bob Ginsberg

Former Dem. State Committee Member (69th A.D.) Bob Ginsberg ran for a vice president position in his new home club, 3 Parks Dems., at their annual meeting this month and lost, 88 to 17. But what is interesting was the massive effort and the extent the club hierarchy (Doty, Botfeld, & Wood) made to defeat him for what is considered a do-nothing post in most clubs. They sent out two letters; made 'phone calls; and had a pulling operation led by Cynthia Doty.

1 Comments:

He was a good, smart, witty guy. Back when I was in high school I frequently used to visit his book shop after school, along with a number of other regular patrons from my high school. It was always a pleasure talking with him.

I hadn't seen him since the shop had to close (due to skyrocketing rent, if I remember correctly), but I always remembered him (and the shop he ran) fondly.

Just now, I thought to google him because a conversation reminded me of him, and was dismayed to discover this and other online obituaries. I'm quite saddened to hear that he passed away.

About Me

Alan Flacks has been a consummate Upper West Side gadfly for years and a fixture at meetings of the community board and political clubs, including the Three Parks Independent Democrats, where he is the house nudge.
He puts out a regular e-mail newsletter called The Flacks Report: dispatches from the West Side to in-boxes in Albany and Washington bearing information about the latest judicial selection or Democratic club meeting.
He is a frequent delegate to judicial nominating proceedings who can pontificate about the political histories and affiliations of candidates for the bench. He has spent decades volunteering and hanging around the district offices of local officials. He attends the open board meetings of agencies including the MTA and the Environmental Control Board. He is a familiar face at the city’s Board of Elections, where he goes for information on voters and candidates.
Flacks said his e-mail list includes lawyers, judges, politicians and other city officials, and activists. His crusades have ranged from compiling detailed lists of community board members for distribution to campaigning for judicial selection reform. [Photo: O. Muhammed; text: C. Kilgannon]